At the end of September my wife and I took a break from social media. We had a lot of reasons (which I’ll talk about a little over the next few posts), but more than anything we just needed a detox. I was beginning more and more to find this post from Urban Dictionary far too true in my own life.
Social Media can be best described as:
Facebook – I like doughnuts
Twitter – I’m eating #doughnuts
Instagram – Here is a Polaroid-esce photo of doughnuts
Foursquare – This is where I eat doughnuts
YouTube – Here I am eating doughnuts
Myspace – Meet the Up-and-coming band, ‘doughnuts’
Linkedin – My skills include doughnut eating
Pinterest – Here is a recipe for doughnuts
We plugged back in a couple days ago and I thought I’d share a little bit about what I noticed as I took an intentional break from the cultural phenomena known as Social Media.
First Thought: Social Media is a Tool not a Crutch
I don’t think social media is bad or evil or even a giant waste of time (on its own). I think it’s a tool to be used. Any tool that’s overused or improperly utilized can cause problems. Those tools can even destroy. During my break I noticed how I had stopped using social media as a tool and started using it as a crutch for social interaction. Crutches are great tools when a lower extremity is broken or hurt, but when nothing is broken and you’re using one… then there is a problem. I am blessed to have a lot of opportunity for social interaction. I don’t need social media to be the only place where it’s happening or even one of the main places where it’s happening.
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